What is This? -Electrical component...

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What is This? -Electrical component...

January 29, 2021, 10:43:18 am

I am starting to plan a solar upgrade. I have come across a couple of items in my RV that I am not sure about. One piece is in the battery box and has a wire coming from the battery and another leading into the RV. The second item is mounted inside the RV above the battery box. One red wire comes from the battery box and another red wire leads from the device to an unknown location. I'm not sure if it's an isolator or diode or what.

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #1 – January 29, 2021, 11:15:23 am

Rick, the items in the picture on the left are the main 12V circuit breaker and hanging down from it is the temperature sensor for the SB3000i solar controller. The picture on the right shows the "hidden" 12V circuit breaker. Do you have the LD Manual?

Charles

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #2 – January 29, 2021, 11:18:25 am

The left picture may have the temperature sensor in it, but the big thing with the lever is a circuit breaker.

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #3 – January 31, 2021, 01:02:57 am

Thanks for the help! I found my manual and reread most of it. I'm learning but still have a ways to go!

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #4 – January 31, 2021, 11:32:46 am

Kinda laughing as we have just documented where this "electrical thing" is for most floorplans and Rick stumbles on it and wonders what it is.

I have posted the results, to date, on The Companion. I will get back to trying to get a brief understandable explanation of what the two breakers protect in the near future. My eyes glazed over the last time.

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #5 – January 31, 2021, 01:29:23 pm

Quote from: Charles & Donna - January 29, 2021, 11:15:23 am

Rick, the items in the picture on the left are the main 12V circuit breaker and hanging down from it is the temperature sensor for the SB3000i solar controller. The picture on the right shows the "hidden" 12V circuit breaker. Do you have the LD Manual?

Charles

Charles, could the reset button for the 12V breaker be out of sight on one of the sides? I'm assuming there has to be a reset button.

Chris (still searching for the mystery 12V reset)

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #6 – January 31, 2021, 01:38:56 pm

Quote from: Chris Horst - January 31, 2021, 01:29:23 pm

Charles, could the reset button for the 12V breaker be out of sight on one of the sides? I'm assuming there has to be a reset button.

Some LDs come with an automatic breaker, they reset themselves and do not have buttons. Our 2003 LD came with an automatic breaker.

Larry

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #7 – January 31, 2021, 01:44:16 pm

Quote from: Charles & Donna - January 29, 2021, 11:15:23 am

Rick, the items in the picture on the left are the main 12V circuit breaker and hanging down from it is the temperature sensor for the SB3000i solar controller. The picture on the right shows the "hidden" 12V circuit breaker. Do you have the LD Manual?

The big black, 100-amp breaker protects the circuit between the battery isolator or relay and the coach battery.
The circuit breaker protects the power supply to the 12-volt side of the Power Center.
The temperature sender has already been explained.

Larry

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #8 – January 31, 2021, 01:45:36 pm

CLI288 also reported that his 2004 LD has an auto-reset breaker.

Charles

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #9 – February 01, 2021, 08:26:36 am

Quote from: Larry W - January 31, 2021, 01:44:16 pm

The big black, 100-amp breaker protects the circuit between the battery isolator or relay and the coach battery.
The circuit breaker protects the power supply to the 12-volt side of the Power Center.
The temperature sender has already been explained.

Larry

Got it, thanks, Larry

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #10 – February 01, 2021, 09:00:19 am

while we're on the subject, are solar panels supposed to pass through a "pv breaker" which I think is isolated to prevent charge going back? or is a DC breaker like the one shown being used for the batteries ok?

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #11 – February 02, 2021, 04:37:23 am

Hi Tom; Each panel usually has a fuse at the back where the wires are connected. The wires go to the solar power controller. Any breaker is between the controller and the house batteries. The batteries can supply a lot of current, and can cause a fire if the wires get shorted. Solar panels generally, at least on an RV, can't produce enough current to be a problem. The breaker to the batteries looks like any other 12v.dc circuit breaker. RonB

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #12 – February 02, 2021, 06:23:26 pm

Quote from: RonB - February 02, 2021, 04:37:23 am

Hi Tom; Each panel usually has a fuse at the back where the wires are connected. The wires go to the solar power controller. Any breaker is between the controller and the house batteries. The batteries can supply a lot of current, and can cause a fire if the wires get shorted. Solar panels generally, at least on an RV, can't produce enough current to be a problem. The breaker to the batteries looks like any other 12v.dc circuit breaker. RonB

In our coach there is a 10A fuse in the positive lead between the solar controller and the house batteries. This fuse is located on the converter 12V fuse panel.

I have also seen pictures here of such a fuse being located in the battery box in the positive lead from the solar controller to the output (house-side) terminal of the main 12V circuit breaker.

Charles

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #13 – February 03, 2021, 03:00:51 am

Hi Charles; Thanks for that picture. While the wire label says 'Solar Panel', It goes to the controller. Page 9 of the SB3000i manual shows the controller to battery fuse at the house battery, (power distribution box is OK) and a fuse from the panels to controller determined by the manufacturer of the panels. Your 2007 may have the HPV-22B. Ronb

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #14 – February 03, 2021, 10:35:58 am

Hi Ron. Yes, I said the fuse is "in the positive lead between the solar controller and the house batteries". Our 2007 was ordered and delivered with the HPV-22 (and one AM Solar 100W panel). We are its second owners. I knew of the issues with the HPV-22 and replaced it with the SB3000i soon after we purchased the coach.

Charles

Re: What is This? -Electrical component...

Reply #15 – February 03, 2021, 03:36:17 pm

WOW this is very neat!! didn't think of connecting there!

If this comes from factory on newer models I think I'll do just that, thank you all for sharing!!

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